Shoe, in particular a sports shoe

ABSTRACT

A shoe, in particular a sports shoe, including a shoe upper part and a sole which is connected with the shoe upper part, wherein the shoe upper part includes an outer surface and an inner surface and wherein the inner surface faces the foot of the wearer of the shoe. In order to minimize the elasticity of the shoe upper part with light weight design, the inner surface of the shoe upper part is provided at least partially with a ridge structure, which includes a number of closed continuous ridges arranged on the inner surface.

The invention relates to a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, comprising a shoe upper part and a sole which is connected with the shoe upper part, wherein the shoe upper part comprises an outer surface and an inner surface and wherein the inner surface faces the foot of the wearer of the shoe.

At shoe of the generic kind a plurality of embodiments is already known to design the shoe stable with a minimum use of material. A minimum use of material causes not only lower costs at the shoe production but leads also to a light shoe which is regular aimed for.

It is an object especially for soccer shoes to design the shoe in such a manner that the ball feeling is optimized, i. e. the ball contact should be better tangible for the player. Pre-known solutions are not always satisfactory in this regard. Furthermore, it is occasionally detrimental that the elasticity of the material of the shoe upper part is unwanted high. In fact, this can be met by an appropriate dense and thick respectively design of the material of the shoe upper part. However, in this case not only the weight of the shoe is negatively influenced; also often the water absorption ability of the shoe is increased in this case detrimentally.

Thus, it is the object of the present invention to further develop a shoe of the generic kind so that—in the case of a soccer shoe—a good ball feeling is given. Furthermore, the elasticity of the material of the shoe upper part should be low at a light shoe design. Finally it is aimed for that the water absorption ability of the shoe is low.

The solution of this object by the invention is characterized in that the inner surface of the shoe upper part is provided at least partially with a ridge structure, which comprises a number of closed continuous ridges arranged on the inner surface.

The closed continuous ridges have preferably a polygonal shape; here especially a triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal or hexagonal shape is taken into consideration. But the closed continuous ridges can also be shaped circular.

The closed continuous ridges consist preferably of plastic material. In this case it is preferably provided that the closed continuous ridges are injected or applied onto the material of the shoe upper part by means of an injection moulding process or a casting process.

Accordingly, instead of an injection moulding process also a casting process can be taken into consideration. In this case plastified plastic material (for example polyurethane) is poured into a mould. Subsequently, the excessive material is moved off and wiped off respectively. The material of the shoe upper part (for example leather or also another material like synthetic leather, mesh or textile material) is laid onto the mould and is then pressed with an upper flat plate onto a bottom plate with the still liquid plastic ridges. Thereby, the liquid plastic material penetrates into the surface of the material of the shoe upper part; after hardening the desired composite results between the shoe upper part and the ridge structure.

The closed continuous ridges comprise preferably a maximum extension lying in the inner surface which is between 5 mm and 20 mm (thus hereunder the diagonal of the polygonal structure and the diameter of the same respectively are to be understood).

The height of the closed continuous ridges perpendicular to the inner surface is preferably between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm.

The inner surface in the inner of the region which is surrounded by the closed continuous ridges can be provided according to a further development of the invention with a coating. Thereby, the coating consists preferably of the material of the continuous ridges. The coating can thereby be separated from the continuous ridge by a gap; the gap is in this case preferably between 0.25 mm and 0.75 mm. The height of the coating perpendicular to the inner surface is preferably smaller than the height of the closed continuous ridges; it is preferably between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm. However, the coating can have also the same height as the continuous ridges. The latter is beneficial if the coating should be used as reinforcement.

The shoe upper part can also comprise a tongue, wherein the inner side of the tongue is provided also at least partially with a ridge structure.

The sole of the shoe can also be provided with a ridge structure at its inner side, wherein the ridges of adjacent continuous ridges are in this case preferably connected with another. The ridge structure is in this case preferably free from any other sole element, especially free from an inner sole and inserted sole respectively.

It was found out in this connection that it is beneficial when a sole of this kind is used, i. e. such a sole element, wherein the ridge structure (which is open to the upper side) is arranged on its inner surface and the ridge structure forms the direct contact area for the foot sole of the wearer of the shoe. The wearer will normally indeed wear respective socks, however will then stand with the same directly on the ridge structure. This allows a well feeling for the ball. The ridge structure is ergonomically adapted to the shape of the foot with its upper side.

The shoe is preferably a soccer shoe. Also in the field of golf sports the shoe can be used beneficially.

The ridge structure has preferably walls which have a rectangular shape in the cross section. This applies also for the mentioned coating.

Thereby, it can be provided as a further development that the outer sole of the shoe comprises at least one cleat shaped projection at its bottom side.

Preferably at least the inner side of the shoe upper part is provided with the mentioned ridge structure in the front half of the shoe. However, it can be beneficial that the rear half of the shoe upper part is not completely provided with the ridge structure. Especially, the heel region remains preferably free from the ridge structure.

As far as the terms “upper” and “bottom” respectively are used this relates to the position of the shoe when the same is used as intended and stands on the ground.

Thus, the proposed solution is characterized in that the shoe upper part comprises at its inner side ridge-shaped designed, preferably polygonal (especially hexagonal) structures. The same can be provided for the inner side of the tongue of the shoe. In addition also the sole can comprise at the inner side such a ridge-shaped structure, wherein then it is preferably provided that no inner sole lies onto the ridge-shaped structure. Rather, the user of the shoe, especially the soccer player, should contact the ridges only with his socks.

At such a design it is beneficial that an improved feeling for the ball and feeling for the ground can be obtained, i. e. the ball contact can be better felt. Thereby, it is selectively done without foam structures and a lining in the shoe upper part respectively and preferably also in the tongue.

The continuous (especially polygonal) ridge structures eliminate beneficially the elasticity (and the elongation respectively) from the shoe upper part; however in the case of pre-known solution with linings the material detrimentally elongates relatively high.

Furthermore, with the proposed design the ability to absorb water is beneficially lower than at conventional shoes.

In the drawings an embodiment of the invention is shown.

FIG. 1 shows schematically a shoe in the side view,

FIG. 1a the detail “X” according to FIG. 1 as an enlargement of a region of the shoe in sectional view,

FIG. 2 the view “Y” according to FIG. 1 onto a part of the inner surface of the shoe upper part and

FIG. 3 the section A-B according to FIG. 2 through a section of the shoe upper part.

In FIG. 1 a shoe 1 can be seen which comprises a shoe upper part 2 and a sole 3. Thereby, shoe upper part 2 and sole 3 are firmly connected with another. The shoe upper part has an outer surface 4 and an inner surface 5; the latter is thus facing the foot of the wearer of the shoe.

In synopsis of the figures is can be seen that at the inner surface 5 of the shoe upper part 2 a ridge structure 6 is arranged. The same has a plurality of closed continuous ridges 7 which are arranged at the inner surface 5.

As can be seen from FIG. 2 the ridge structure 6 has a hexagonal shape in the shown embodiment, i. e. the ridges 7 have a sexangular design, seen perpendicular to the inner surface 5. However it should be mentioned that this is not mandatory and that this can also be provided only for a section of the inner surface 5.

Dependent on the space available at the inner surface 5 also other shapes can be provided, especially triangular, quadrangular and pentagonal ridges.

Preferably, as the case may be different shaped ridge structures are arranged in such a manner that the inner side of the shoe upper part is completely parqueted with ridges.

Also it is possible that parts of the inner surface 5 are not provided with the ridge structure 6.

Likewise, the tongue 10 of the shoe 1 is provided at the inner side with the mentioned ridge structure 6.

A preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. Accordingly, it is provided that inside of the closed continuous ridges 7 a coating 8 of the base material of the shoe upper part 2 is present. The coating 8 keeps—as it is shown in the section A-B according to FIG. 3—a gap 9 from the ridges 7. However, it can also be done without this gap which can be provided especially with respect to the tongue 10.

It is also possible that only in selected regions the coating 8 is used and that in other regions of the inner surface the empty ridge structure is used.

In the FIGS. 2 and 3 further specifications are made which relate to the magnitude of the ridge structure 6 and the ridges 7 respectively.

Accordingly it is provided that the closed continuous ridges 7 comprise a maximal extension E in the inner surface 5 which is between 5 mm and 20 mm, see FIG. 2.

The height H of the closed continuous ridges 7 perpendicular to the inner surface 5 is—as can be seen from FIG. 3—between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm. The gap 9 has a dimension t (width of the gap) which is mostly between 0.25 mm and 0.75 mm.

The height h of the coating 8 is smaller than the height H of the closed continuous ridges 7; it is preferably between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm.

In FIG. 3 also the width b of the ridge is denoted which is preferably between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm.

Furthermore denoted is the thickness d of the shoe upper part 2 which can also be in the region between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm. Here, a single layer of a material is preferred, for example leather, on which directly the ridge structure is applied in situ by means of injection molding.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 Shoe -   2 Shoe upper part -   3 Sole -   4 Outer surface -   5 Inner surface -   6 Ridge structure -   7 Ridge -   8 Coating -   9 Gap -   10 Tongue -   E Extension -   H Height of the ridge -   h Height of the coating -   b Width of the ridge -   t Width of the gap -   d Thickness of the shoe upper part 

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A shoe, in particular sports shoe, comprising a shoe upper part and a sole which is connected with the shoe upper part, wherein the shoe upper part comprises an outer surface and an inner surface and wherein the inner surface faces the foot of the wearer of the shoe, wherein the inner surface of the shoe upper part is provided at least partially with a ridge structure, which comprises a number of closed continuous ridges arranged on the inner surface.
 17. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein the closed continuous ridges have a polygonal shape.
 18. The shoe according to claim 17, wherein the closed continuous ridges have a triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal or hexagonal shape.
 19. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein the closed continuous ridges consist of plastic material.
 20. The shoe according to claim 19, wherein the closed continuous ridges are injected or applied onto the material of the shoe upper part by means of an injection molding process or a casting process.
 21. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein the closed continuous ridges comprise a maximum extension lying in the inner surface which is between 5 mm and 20 mm.
 22. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein the height of the closed continuous ridges perpendicular to the inner surface is between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm.
 23. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein the inner surface is provided with a coating in the inner of the region which is surrounded by the closed continuous ridges.
 24. The shoe according to claim 23, wherein the coating is separated from the continuous ridge by a gap.
 25. The shoe according to claim 24, wherein the gap is between 0.25 mm and 0.75 mm.
 26. The shoe according to claim 23, wherein the height of the coating perpendicular to the inner surface is smaller than the height of the closed continuous ridges.
 27. The shoe according to claim 26, wherein the height of the coating perpendicular to the inner surface is between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm.
 28. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein the shoe upper part comprises a tongue, wherein the inner side of the tongue is provided at least partially with a ridge structure.
 29. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein the sole is provided with a ridge structure at its inner side, wherein the ridges of adjacent continuous ridges are preferably connected with another, wherein the ridge structure is free from any other sole element, especially free from an inner sole.
 30. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein it is a soccer shoe. 